Summer Anime 2017 – First Impressions

Summer Already… Eh – First Impressions

So, with a new season already upon us, what shows are looking likely to tickle our fancies? To get our minds roaming, and our juices flowing… Well, anyway. So far, the season looks like it’s setting itself up to be… alright. Hopefully it will turn out to be more than that – blowing away my expectations. Let’s cross our fingers, and hope for the best!

Without further ado, let’s get the first impressions of 2017’s Summer anime.

(I’ll only be talking about the shows I think are worth talking about. Any omitted are either intentional, or because I have not seen them / they are yet to air.)

Made in Abyss

Made in Abyss was one of the first Summer anime I watched, and for good reason! It seems to stand out amongst the others this season. Wether that’s because it’s on a different (higher) level to the others, or simply because of its art-style and attractive themes. Nevertheless, it’s at the top of my list here because I think it shows the most promise. Other than that, these are in no particular order.

Made in Abyss is visually beautiful, and in this respect alone – much more so than the other shows of the season. I know, I know… using visuals has always been a much contested and controversial way of determining the value of a show. Though, I believe it is a very important aspect, especially when considering the world of Made in Abyss. After all, being able to experience such a place to its fullest is reliant on consistent art design, no matter what people might want to believe.

Other than that, Made in Abyss does a very good job of conveying its intentions during the first episode. And, more important than anything else, the story/narrative looks solid. As is the intrigue of the Abyss itself, the mystery of it alone pulls me deep into future episodes.

As for the characters, well, they seem standard. Of course, it’s hard to judge at this point. They’re orphans, underdogs discovering something rare and fantastic. The themes of it is hardly something new. But, this is never a problem if it’s done well.

Knight’s & Magic

This is one I was surprised by. At first, I thought it was swimming in genericism. And well… maybe it is, but not the kind that is overtly negative. Once again, we’re inundated with Isekai (at least three of this seasons shows are Isekai in some form or the other.) Knight’s seem slightly apart from this (from a show like In Another World With My Smartphone, which appears to be nothing more than a blatant re-hashing of Re:ZERO…)

Anyway, Knight’s isn’t that – it’s mecha, and it’s fantasy. And also the main character looks and sound suspiciously like a girl, whilst still being a boy. Though, not that I’m the kind of person to be bothered by that. I do enjoy the overall feeling of the show, even if I do get the sense that it isn’t anything overly special. Still, it doesn’t have to be to be fun, right? And, Knight’s is definitely fun.

Katsugeki Touken Ranbu

Katsugeki looks good, that’s for sure. The figh scenes are solid, and as are the CG visual effects – thank god, because we all know how horribly wrong they can go (Berserk S2…). Honestly, I’ve never really been into ‘period’ anime, especially those centered around Samurai. And, if that was all Katsugeki was, I probably wouldn’t be watching it. Instead, it’s the time-travel/sci-fi theme that is keeping me interested in a show that would otherwise not be for me.

Actually, the theme of Time Revisionists coming from the future to change the past sounds like a great idea. One which we know works. Though, I don’t think it’s ever been done within this setting, both inside and outside of anime.

New Game!!

I’m not going to say too much about this one, other than I can’t wait! I loved the first season, having only watched it recently, (my review) and I hope this season will bring the same kind of boundless, lighthearted enjoyment. If it can do that, it may well propel itself forward into the best of the season.

Restaurant to Another World

Like Made in Abyss, the aesthetic of Restaurant to Another World is very visually appealing. It’s very polished, and I find the colour palette used to be extremely complimenting. In general, it strikes a balance between being cute, and yet mature.

Of course, it reminds me of Shokugeki no Soma – especially in those parts where food is being eaten in that trademark ‘suggestive’ way. Though it does hold back on some of the ‘provocative allure’ that Shokugeki is so known for. Not that this a bad thing, because it isn’t Shokugeki… The distinct fantasy setting sets it apart from that.

I like the premise, I really do. I’m struggling to see where the story’s going, however, it’s most likely too early to judge it on that aspect. Otherwise, being a fan of cooking and fantasy in general, I can see myself sticking with this one. Not to mention, the character design is pretty solid too.

Netsuzou Trap

To be honest, I hadn’t heard of NTR until a couple of days ago… mad, I know! Considering how School Days left me broken and shaking before I even knew what it was, maybe it wasn’t for me. Because… well, it is fucked in every sense of the word. Though, I did throughly enjoy Scum’s Wish, so there’s that.

Netsuzou Trap, is more or less what you’d expect from a show with such a title. I don’t exactly know what to think of it, especially when considering my lack of ‘experience’ in viewing such shows. However, with this being said, I found myself feeling somewhat attracted to the show, and even to its characters. But we’ll have to see, because it’s one of those shows that swings one way or the other.

I have to mention that it’s also only 9mins long – and that’s including the OP and ED. This is something I’m… unsure of; what kind of content can you fit into that timeframe?

A Centaur’s Life

Well, this certainly is something… Actually, I found myself becoming fairly endeared to this show as the minutes went on – as my preconceptions of what it was going to be were proven wrong. No doubt, it rides on the back of the success that shows such as Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid have experienced. Though, it is not lacking in originality. After all, how many shows have you watched where the lead is a Centaur?

Of course, the lore behind it doesn’t make much sense. And, I almost thought it wasn’t needed, Situations and premises such as Centaur’s can be taken at face value without any consequences. After all, is it really imperative we know how Centaurs (and the other races) ‘evolved?’ Probably not…

This aside, I think the show has potential. Though, with my unreserved love for slice-of-life, I may be somewhat biased.

Princess Principal

Being fairly high up on my most anticipated of the season, I have high hopes for Princess Principal. And, the first two episodes don’t disappoint. Obviously what strikes me the most in the setting – being set in a Steampunk, Victorian London; something which gets me as excited as about anything can. There’s just something about the Steampunk aesthetic that is so attractive (well… unless you’re Clockwork Planet…)

It seems like the perfect package. The visuals are pretty stunning, and the soundtrack is brilliant. It’s one of those shows that (at the moment) gets about all the things right it can. It’s the only show this season that has put forward its artistic talent – especially in the camera-work, and framing of the shots. If anything, the direction appears massively strong. The OP and ED are pretty great too!

P.S – Ange is already best girl.

Love and Lies

I’ll start with the most controversial aspect, the art-style. I like it. I really do. I think it’s unique, and very well done. The animation that accompanies it, is often quite good too. After all, in an industry saturated with ‘average’ anime which rather too often look-alike – it’s a good thing to be able to set yourself aside from the crowd.

Obviously the premise could never work in a real, functional society. nevertheless, the thought of what it might be like interests me, the thought of how a person would cope with that when faced with partnering with a person they do not love. I like the innocence of it. The way we can all relate – in part – to the situations of the characters, and the awkwardness that would ensure.

Another thing, the cast seems to be strong. As in, they don’t instantly fall into the same overused stereotypes that we all know and instantly recognise all too much. The characters are sweet, and down to earth carrying that sense of true-to-life sentiment. The comedy element is nice too! It will be an interesting one to follow.

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4 thoughts on “Summer Anime 2017 – First Impressions”

I like the animation in Love and Lies, and I like the idea, but I was disappointed by the first episode. The series could have been both fun and an interesting social commentary (that rare anime that’s both good and wildly entertaining), but based on the inconsistency of the first episode (what’s with that ecchi-ness at the end?) and the poor writing, I don’t think it’s going to end up being either. :/

Have you tried Classroom of the Elite? My favorite first episode of the season!

Yeah, I can understand that.Though I don’t think the first episode was terrible, it definitely could have been better. I think youu’re right. It was almost like it was trying to be too many things all at the same time. I have tried Classroom of the Elite, and I thought it was pretty great! The premise seemed solid. Although, my personal favourite has to go to Made in Abyss – can see it being top anime of the season!

I could definitely see Made in Abyss being tops – I read a little about the second episode and I like where the series is heading. I’ve been trying to stream everything legally, however, and I can’t justify paying for Anime Strike when I’ll likely just watch the one series. :/

I know what you mean. I’m in the UK, so if I want to use anime strike I have to VPN and use a false address – which I’m not willing to do. But yeah, I try to watch legally… still, if there is no legal option feasable, then what choice do we have? And, if the show is good enough, then there’s always the option of buying merch or blu-ray/DVD releases to support the studio.